FIR against author Taslima Nasreen for hurting religious sentiments

An FIR has been lodged against controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen for allegedly hurting religious sentiments following a complaint by a prominent Muslim cleric of Uttar Pradesh, a charge which the author said shocked her.

The case was lodged at Kotwali police station by Hasan Raza Khan Noori Miyan, son of the 'sajjadanasheen' of Dargah-e -Ala Hazrat Maulana Subhan Raza Khan Subhani Miyan, who objected to certain tweets by Nasreen against clerics on November 6, police sources said here today.

In the complaint, it was alleged that with her remarks against clerics on Twitter the writer had hurt the feelings of the Muslim community.

Noori Miyan said a fatwa has been issued in the light of Hadees and Quran. It was demanded that the passport of the writer should be seized and she should be arrested.

Taslima said she was shocked to hear about the FIR as she had only spoken the truth.

"I do not know what wrong have I done with those tweets. I only spoke the truth and once again they are after me," Taslima told PTI from New Delhi.

"I am shocked to hear this. How can this happen in a democratic country like India where the Constitution guarantees the freedom of speech and expression," wondered the 51-year-old author who was forced to flee from Bangladesh after threats from fundamentalists for hurting religious sentiments.

After Arvind Kejriwal sought support for his Aam Aadmi Party from controversial UP cleric Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, Taslima had criticised the meeting on Twitter.

In 2007, the Maulana had announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh on the author's head if New Delhi did not restrict her entry to the country.

Following violent protests over renewal of her visa later on, she was bundled out of Kolkata by the authorities to Delhi.

Noting that her freedom of speech and expression has always been in danger, the author said, "Fundamentalists do not believe in human rights and so I am never allowed to speak even the truth."

She has been in news for her controversial books like 'Lajja' and 'Dwikhandito'.